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International Photographer Scott McGale braved a coolish early morning in Sydney last week to cover “The Base” an installation by Spencer Tunick. Below is Scotts account of the morning, sit back and enjoy!

©Scott McGale

©Scott McGale

It was 4.45am and I was just parking the bike near the Harbour Bridge,  a good walk away from the event site, knowing that I would be able to get away easily after the gig was over.  As I made my way to the Opera House, I was thinking, what the hell am I doing here?  I’m still half asleep, its just about to start pouring with rain, and I am going to take pictures of a few naked people lying around the steps of the Opera House!  I need coffee –  fast!

The event I was covering was called “The Base”.  The 2010 Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, had invited photographer, Spencer Tunick, over from the USA to do his thing.  Spencer has developed a solid reputation for roaming the Globe and asking as many people as possible to take off their clothes so he can photograph them, in good taste, for art’s sake.

©Scott McGale

I first encountered Spencer in London in 2004 I think, doing the same thing over there.  A friend of mine was involved in the organisation of the event, and I ended up covering it for The Observer Magazine.  I have to say it was one of the most interesting events I have ever been to.  Spencer creates amazing body-scapes in an urban setting that are just incredible.  Hundreds, or thousands of bodies filling the horizon makes for fabulous images.  So when I got the chance to be involved with the event here in Sydney, I put my hand up straight away because I knew that there were some amazing images to be had.

After securing a rather large coffee, I made my way to the Media entrance to the event.  It was still dark, cold, and it felt like rain was just minutes away.  The Media were corralled into a very small, confined front, facing the left hand side steps of the Opera House.  I was there at 5.00am, but it was obvious that others had beaten me to the prime spots already.  I spent the next few minutes elbowing my way into a very nice spot on the railing at the front of the section, pretending to be very friendly to the other journos and photographers who had been up from the wee small hours before me.  All in all, there must have been about a dozen of us there at that time in the morning.

It was plainly obvious to me that if I was to move even one step backwards, I was going to lose my position at the front, so I resigned myself to having to stay put exactly where I was until the event started in a couple of hours. Bugger!  That’s about the time you start developing long and detailed conversations with the complete stranger next to you at the railing, who is also determined not to give up an inch of their position until the bitter end.  One thing that was clear to all of us, was that we could only see about 1000-1500 people that had turned up to take their clothes off on such a cold miserable morning.  And they were all right over at the other end of the steps from us!  The media was only allowed at the left hand side of the Opera House steps, and we were trying to work out just how we were going to get a good picture from this side, when all the nudies were going to be on the other side of the steps.  Typical!

After waiting ‘til well after the light started to rise from the depths of the shadows, did we hear that the event was going to get underway.  Drew, the PR man, who was regularly scooting up and down the media line saying just how fabulous it was going to be, announced that there was a record attendance of five thousand, two hundred people and they were just about to disrobe!  As it turns out, there were that many people, and they had been hiding either in the Opera House itself, or around the corner at Mrs Macquarie’s Chair.  Needless to say, this news raised our spirits and we all took up our positions with renewed fervor.  A cheer went up from the crowd, and naked body after naked body started flowing onto the steps of the Opera House until all but a very small corner, just out of shot, was completely covered.  It was still freezing at that time in the morning.  Nothing like the early winter’s morning in London, I might add, but cold enough to give a man a reason to wish it was a lot warmer!  And everybody was hopping up and down on the spot to get a little warmth into their extremities.  A few minutes later Spencer Tunick was introduced to the crowd and the arrangement began.

Using a loudspeaker, Spencer very carefully positioned the nudies so they were evenly spaced across the steps.  He also reiterated that everybody had to be completely naked, and that no undies, hats or jewelry could be left on, but he did encourage people not to take out any piercings they may have.

The Opera House was an exceptional venue for this type of event as the steps naturally tiered the bodies to full advantage and created a wall of nakedness of epic proportions.  That coupled with the iconic shell shaped roof, made for some amazing compositions that were wholly Australian.  The other factor that was in our favour on the day was the light.  As it was severely overcast, the light was incredibly soft and even.  Initially it was very difficult to get a good exposure below ISO 2000 without a tripod, but as the sun rose through the clouds and the event took shape, I was able to drop the ISO to about 400 to get some truly awesome images of a great event.  The feel of the images would have been vastly different if the sun was shining directly onto the bodies instead of being diffused through the soft clouds.

During the picture taking, Spencer directed the crowds into a variety of positions.  All this while, the more mainstream television stations were broadcasting the weather, on the half hour, using the event as a backdrop for their broadcasts. It was during one of these weather broadcasts, that there was a huge cheer from our end of the crowd on the steps.  After a minute of cheering, Grant Denyer, the weather anchor from Channel 7, leapt over the media railing completely naked and ran over to the nudies, turned to camera, covered his privates with one hand and held his microphone in the other and presented the weather to the cheers and heckles of the crowd surrounding him.  He just got it done when security “talked” him into returning to the media railing and to put his clothes back on.  In a defiant stance against the event security, before remounting the railing, he turned back to the crowd and proceeded to shake his bits for all to see, and to the great amusement and approval of the crowd.  Not too long after that, the event came to a close, and participants either retreated back into the Opera House, or made a dash for their clothes and a chance to get warm again.

©Scott McGale

©Scott McGale

It wasn’t until I had was back home in my studio did I get a chance to realize the magnitude of the event that had unfolded before my eyes.  Never before had I had an opportunity to witness that many naked bodies, in that sort of composition, with that quality of light before.  And I doubt if I will ever get the chance to do that again.  Somehow I feel that we, behind the media railing, had an even better position than Spencer himself, who was shooting from a raised platform high above the bodies.   Our low lying position, and the elevation of the steps gave us an unparalleled view of a wall of bodies. One, which I will never forget.

Thank you to all those who have subscribed for our regular updates. We look forward to keeping you photographically inspired!

As promised, we had 2x A2 Canvas prints to give away (valued at $149) courtesy of DigiDirect.

The lucky winners are georgie@greaterdata.com.au and melissajones@aapt.net.au Congratulations to you both!

Now go and decide on an image to print. We’ll be in touch with you shortly.

Visit the DigiDirect Lab

By the way, we’ve had great reports filter in from various students that the guys at Digi Direct have really been looking after them on price and service. If you prefer personal attention beyond the slick website, pop in and check them out in the City or Bondi Junction, and don’t forget to mention SPW or FotoPriority.

Hi all, ok time for some inspiration (said in a heavy French accent) I was recently sent a link to The “Prix de la Photographie, Paris” (Px3) and was very impressed by the images submitted by both professional and amature photographers.

A little about the competition -

The “Prix de la Photographie, Paris” (Px3) strives to promote the appreciation of photography, to discover emerging talent, and to introduce photographers from around the world to the artistic community of Paris. Winning photographs from this competition are exhibited in a high-profile gallery in Paris and published in the high-quality, full-color Px3Annual Book.

Check out the Px3 website for all the latest winners from each category. I especially love the series that came second titled “Aftermath of War in Lebanon”

I’ve been searching for a decent tool to create flash websites for a long time now, I am pretty sure I have finally found one! WIX.COM. I had been tossing up the idea of paying a web designer $1000’s of dollars until I discovered WIX.( I can now use that money to buy myself a new lens!)

For photographers who want to create awesome flash online portfolios this might be just the thing for you. WIX is a free website builder that’s really easy tool to use, lots of dragging and dropping with the ability to add your own content, pictures, videos, text, animations, effects and widgets. One of the biggest selling points for me was I no longer have to learn or understand any type of programming or code, which is a huge bonus!

The free version of WIX is suitable for just about anyone however you have the choice to upgrade to Premium for features such as –

- Use your own domain
- Remove Wix ads
- Unlimited bandwidth
- Extra storage
- Google Analytics site stats
- Unlimited pages
- Professional hosting
- Premium support

Take a look at some of the example photographers sites that have been created with WIX, they also have a blog to keep you up to date with  latest news and announcements etc.

If you are currently using WIX let us know what you think? Or, if you are using something similar tell us about it using the comments section below.

Here’s a short  video I found on youtube on how to build a website in 2mins using WIX

I, like many others I have spoken to, am yet to master the HD video on my canon 5d mk2 or Canon 7d, so something like this seems to be out of my reach for now. “The story beyond the still” is a HD video contest put on by Canon where photographers have a chance to show off their skills as filmmakers.

Last month the contest kicked off when Canon asked photographer, Vincent Laforet, to interpret a still by telling the story that lived beyond it using the Canon EOS 7D. It was the first chapter of seven, ending with a still photograph of its own for the Vimeo community to then interpret. After 112 entries, Josh Thacker was chosen as the very first winner, the below winning entry was shot using a Canon 7D and 5D Mark II.

Job Security from Runner Runner on Vimeo.

Check out the rest of the videos that have been submitted to the beyond the still contest.

Shutterbug Photography Festival, now in its fourth year, is open for submissions from any photographer earning under $20,000 per year. As well as a prize pool of $10,000, 15 finalists will have their work shown on the big screen at the huge Shutterbug Projection night in July 2010.

Submissions can be made online from until the 30th May 2010.

Check out the shutterbug website for all details of entry…good luck!

Have you ever tried to sell your images online? Not sure what websites to use? Or which images attract the most attention from buyers out there? Well, hopefully I can cover some of your burning questions.

I spoke with Phill Danze who has experienced some great success selling images online. Phill is also a long time student of Sydney photo Workshops and has had one on one tuition with Daniel Linnet to try and perfect his craft. Phill shares with me some insider knowledge about what keeps him inspired to keep selling and promoting himself as a photographer.

Trying to decide which photos in your collection would sell the best, or attract the most attention could be a difficult task.  Which images are you having success with?
“In stock my best selling pictures are those that are a series of rocks with inspirational words on them and shots with a recycling or environment theme.”

Then there’s choosing the correct website.  There are many out there that allow you to sell your work.
“I mainly use two agencies for stock and have found most sales success with iStock, not enough to give up my day job but over time it has enabled me to upgrade my equipment and get the satisfaction of seeing my work used in the market place.”

© Phillip Danze

“I also use two online platforms for fine art and of the two, Redbubble is the one I get the occasional sale from. Fine art you need to market yourself, the platform is just that, the means to show your work and provide a place for people to buy it – it is up to you to drive traffic to your work.”

Phill has been lucky in that his “regular” job has allowed him to travel and keep him motivated “I’ve travelled a lot internationally with my job so I bought a digital SLR and took some courses on how to use it plus learn the basics of composition and lighting.”

Remaining inspired about photography is a challenge for all photographers; from amateurs to professionals. We often have t0 find new avenues of inspiration to keep us motivated and on top of the game. “I stay inspired by reading photography magazines, websites, liaising with fellow photographers and seeing their work, plus doing courses and workshops.”

Phill has been fortunate enough to travel to some pretty magical destinations. I asked Phill to describe some of the most interesting places he has photographed around the world, “There would be two, Macquarie Island and Antarctica. The wildlife was stunning and the remoteness and minimal human presence in these places added to the experience and pressure of getting the shot the first time. I also learned a lot about photography in either damp and drizzly conditions, or in freezing, high wind conditions.”

“I owe the success of my shots to some practice before leaving Australia and some tuition with Daniel Linnet”

When it comes to advice about selling images online, Phill offers some final tips and tricks of the trade “Think about what you want to sell and who your market is. There are plenty of sites where you can sell your own work and I recommend you only put your very best work out there as if someone looks at an average shot, they may not look at your other work. Think of themes or concepts to create a collection of shots. Market your work and leverage events or celebrations to promote sales of your work. Stock on the other hand requires you to use an agency and they will inspect your files before accepting them into their database of pictures. They require very high quality files and in my experience do not tolerate poorly composed pictures, artifacting, chromatic aberrations, or over processed work (i.e. keep the post camera processing to a minimum). Finally, be patient, there are a lot of budding photographers out there (not to mention professional photographers) and it could take a while to get your first sale. Most of the enjoyment I get from selling online is that is challenges me to be a better photographer and to think about what I am doing and trying to convey when taking a picture.

Check out Phills images at Red Bubble and istockphoto

Paul Ferman Photography Exhibition – SHELTER

9 February 2010 – 6 March 2010 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM

Paul Ferman, born in Germany of English parents, migrated to Australia in the 1950’s and has been a regular exhibitor in Australia and Europe since 1994.

Ferman won both the Ulrick – Schubert Photographic Award and the Pat Corrigan Acquisitive Award CCP Melbourne, 2007.

Paul Fermans’ new exhibition at King Street Gallery on William, titled “Shelter”, is a series of photographic work taken in Japan and positioned under major capital city freeways and bridges.

For more info on this exhibition and more check out the King Street Gallery website.

carriageARTworks is a FREE annual event, celebrating artwork and art culture from Sydney’s city fringe. The exhibition will feature work on canvas, sculpture, photography, mixed media, video art, performance art and textiles.

25 March 2010 – 24 April 2010 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM

CarriageWorks, 245 Wilson Street Eveleigh

For more info see the carriageARTworks webpage

Gazing at the Contemporary World: Japanese Photography from the 1970s

Featuring 76 photographs by 23 internationally renowned Japanese photographers, this exhibition is a panoramic view of Japan’s changing landscape since the 1970s. Curated by Rei Masuda, Chief Curator of the National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo, this exhibition is currently on an international tour.

22 February 2010 – 4 March 2010 Monday – Friday & Saturday 27 Feb 11am – 4pm

Venue – Japan Foundation Gallery

Level 1, Chifley Plaza,
2 Chifley Square
Sydney 2000
Phone: 02 8239 0055

Last week in London you may have heard about a rally at Trafalgar Square, attended by 2000+ photographers in opposition of Section 44 of the Terrorist Act. It was basically a mass gathering in defense of street photography, not only by photographers but anyone who values visual imagery.

There was one brief, it was to

At 3pm on the dot everyone will take their cameras out and start photographing something interesting, this might be:
• The hundreds of other photographers
• A puzzled security guard trying to work out what’s going on
• Security Guards trying to stop someone from taking photographs
• Interesting architectural features

Many of you probably have been made aware of what has been going on here, but since the act was passed, photographers have been subjected to ridiculous scrutiny and harassment and misinterpretation of the laws by police.

Check out The official website for all the latest news and pics from the protest.

I think as photographers at any level we should be kept up to date and informed of what our rights are, we have pretty tough laws over here in Australia at the moment but will they start to go over the top!

For more info on your rights in NSW have a look here

Please feel free to share your stories on this subject, have you been ordered to delete your images, or walked out of the area by police or security guards?

Storybook Wolf - by José Luis Rodriguez

In an interesting twist to the Wildlife Photographer of the Year results, the ultimate £10,000 winner Jose Luis Rodriguez has been stripped of his award amid suspicion that the shot was indeed staged.

Read the full story in the Guardian

Jonathon Jones follow up on Art Blog

What are your thoughts?